ZAMBOANGA CITY, Nov 8 (PIA) -- The Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) and the Canned Sardines Association of the Philippines (CSAP) has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to ensure a continuous and sufficient supply of raw materials for canneries nationwide and secure jobs of factory workers during the fishing ban season.
Zamboanga Peninsula, which has 14 canning and seven (7) bottled sardines factories will benefit from the partnership.
“We are ensuring the employment of hundreds, if not thousands, of factory workers and adjacent industries when the canneries can continue to operate during the three-month fishing ban. Productivity during the three-month fishing ban means more employment, job security, and food on the table for many families,” CSAP President Benjamin Sy said.
Selected registered municipal fisherfolk associations will be engaged by CSAP in order to sustain the supply of raw materials for canning, especially during the implementation of annual closed fishing seasons.
Furthermore, through the MOA, the municipal fisherfolk will be trained on proper fish handling, food safety regulations, and processing technologies.
In the agreement, the DA-BFAR, as the primary government agency mandated to manage the country’s fisheries and aquatic resources, shall provide post-harvest support and necessary equipment in identified landing sites wherein the consolidation of raw materials will take place.
The Bureau is also slated to ensure that the identified fisherfolk are compliant with the government’s food safety and traceability requirements and facilitate transportation or logistics support.
The CSAP, over the course of the partnership, shall ensure that its members observe fair trade in directly negotiating with selected associations derived from the identified registered municipal fisherfolk provided by the DA-BFAR. CSAP shall also ensure that its members strictly comply with the terms and conditions in the Purchase Order.
The fishing ban season in Zamboanga Peninsula is from December 1 to March 1, the peak of the sardine spawning season. (RVC/CCP/PIA9 with reports from Department of Agriculture)
